


The Torn Prince

by mogitz



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: Anna/Hans - Freeform, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hanna - Freeform, Hans Being Less of an Asshole, Hans Being an Asshole, Hans POV, Hans Redemption, redemption arc
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-30
Updated: 2016-01-13
Packaged: 2018-05-04 05:50:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5322872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mogitz/pseuds/mogitz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The events that happened during Frozen but from Hans' point of view. What happened in Arendelle that caused him to have such a cold change of heart?<br/>And then, after the fiasco in Arendelle, Hans returns home to await his trial. When a very ill Anna arrives to testify, will it help him evade his punishment or lead him to the hangman's noose?<br/>Created because of an article I read stating that Hans was never written to be the villain. And I love me a good redemption arc...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Let Him Go

**Author's Note:**

> A/N:
> 
> This fiction was inspired by a recent article I encountered that stated that Hans was not initially meant to be a villain, which ultimately led to his twist at the end being so unexpected. This is my version of Frozen, as shown from Hans' perspective. Ultimately I am planning on this fiction favoring Anna and Hans as a coupling, as well as a good explanation for why he betrayed her so badly. Forgive me, this chapter holds a lot of back-story in the beginning of Hans and his brothers of the Southern Isles, but it is important to the plot throughout the story.
> 
> Thanks, and I hope you enjoy!

**The Torn Prince**

**Chapter 1: Prologue**

* * *

Candles adorned the massive, dark mahogany table that was set for fourteen. Tapestries of green and gold graced the walls, dressing the room in elegance and poise. The family crest was a repeating theme throughout the grand dining room: A green shield, guarded by two chained wolves and Latin banners that read " _Fortem Posce Animum_ " or "Wish for a Strong Mind."

Eleven brothers sat, awaiting their father, King Elias, to meet them; he had news to share. They were all of varying ages and physical appearances, although sharing a similarity that proved their relation. They waited patiently, quietly, eyes studying one another and making silent judgments. Although they were quite accustomed to this kind of cruel behavior, this wasn't just an ordinary dinner. Significant others were shut out, taking their dinners in another wing of the castle. This was a confidential meeting, one to discuss the Southern Isles and broadening its borders, by any means necessary.

Over the years, trade between Arendelle and the Southern Isles had been steady, cordial. But with the recent news of Princess Elsa's coronation under way, it was time to finish what had been started many years ago.

The eleven men were startled from the loud boom of the dining room doors opening with some force. Their eyes were fixated on the proud, bearded king as he stalked into the room without a word. He stood, towering and almost menacing over the princes. They stood out of respect, and possibly fear, waiting for their father to take his seat. He cleared his throat and ran his gloved hand over his mustached mouth, his eyes narrowing.

"Where is Hans?" his deep voice bellowed. The sons looked around in confusion, unaware that the youngest prince was even absent. Although, this was nothing new. Hans was frequently forgotten.

On cue, the door to the dining hall opened once again, and Hans peered into the room nervously.

"Get in here. You're tardy," King Elias said gruffly, he had no patience for any delays.

"I-I'm sorry father. I just-"

"I do not have time for your excuses. Be seated," he said, slightly reddening. Hans shrunk under his brother's glaring eyes, hurrying to his seat. For one of the millionth times, he wished he was actually invisible, as opposed to how his father and brothers had treated him. At least then they would have an excuse. The great king and his sons were seated.

"We have received word from Arendelle," he informed the group. "We are to send a royal representative to attend Princess Elsa's coronation."

"Has the time come already?" the eldest son, Prince Elias III, asked. He was much older than Hans, who had only just passed his 23rd year.

"Aye," the King nodded. "Princess Elsa was to marry by her 21st year, to ensure the Southern Isles would have an heir married into Arendelle. As you know, we have been trying to get our betrothal negotiations back on track that were ceased after the passing of King Agdar and Queen Idun of Arendelle."

"But father," one of the sons spoke, Prince Galen. "Who will it be? Felix is surely best suited for rulership of Arendelle and closest to her age, but he is married to Adelaide."

"I am aware that Felix was the first choice, that had been agreed upon many years ago between both kingdoms. But with the passing of the King and Queen, those plans and promises went along with them. We no longer have contracts and treaties, we are no longer ushered in freely. Their will stated that the princesses were to have free will, which means she must be courted if we will see any union of families. That is what tonight it about."

The room fell silent as the princes took in the information. One of them would be sent to Arendelle to take the crown, but who? Their ages, statuses and demeanor varied so vastly that there was no solid choice.

Long ago, long before Hans was even born, King Elias took over the throne as the king of the Southern Isles. Humid in temperature, a mostly mild climate, this land was lush and bountiful. Through their various trade connections and allies, the people of the Southern Isles lived quant, fulfilling lives.

Through a forced marriage that eventually led to love and devotion, King Elias wed Princess Astrid, who became his queen. She was fair and loyal, lovely and kind. She spent most of her years as queen with child, bearing the king twelve healthy sons.

First born was the strong and stubborn Elias III. He was heir to the thrown and had never had to work hard to gain his father's favor. He was married to Princess Giana, who would take her place as queen when King Elias inevitably passed away.

Next was Frederik and Galen, who weren't twins but might as well have been. The brothers bore a striking resemblance and were born only ten months apart from one another. Prince Frederik was a self-proclaimed bachelor, more interested in scholarly pursuits while Prince Galen married quite young: a duchess from a neighboring kingdom and bore him two princesses of their own.

Prince Andreas was fourth born, but had perished of illness only three years back, and Prince Edvard (fifth to the throne) had become a monk at the kingdom's Lutheran cathedral, but never revoked his title. He sat there with them today, his humble cloak a far cry from their more lavish attires.

Prince Tomas and Prince Christian were twins, mostly drunkards, unwed and up to no real value to the royal family, but were still over ten years Elsa's senior. The likelihood of her choosing to marry one of them was slim. Next, however, was Prince Isaak, who was a well-known Lothario of the Isle Kingdoms. He had successfully wooed, seduced and ruined countless princesses, duchesses, maidens and bar wenches alike.

Cold-hearted and calculating, Prince Sedak was the 9th born. Prone to jealousy and a ravenous temper, he was the one who had done most of Hans' torturing as he grew up. Deeply resentful of the youngest prince, it was he that initiated a two-year long coup that led to Hans being ignored and forgotten, finding humor and satisfaction at his expense. Those two years took an amazingly harsh psychological toll on Prince Hans, who withdrew but began doing desperate actions to get some form of attention from his brothers. And yet, it was the same twisted prince that Hans so desperately looked up, hoping to rid himself of any vulnerability and weakness by striving to be him, the way a captive is devoted to their captor.

The king's second set of twins were much more successful than the first, Prince Magnus and Prince Mathias. Magus was married to the military, Admiral of the Fleet of the Southern Isles Navy. Hans, too, was a Navy officer under his brother. He had earned his title of Admiral Prince Hans, which he had hoped would make his father proud of him, to no avail. Mathias, on the other hand, was a poet and lover, engaged to the fair Princess Agnus of the West Cannes, their wedding was due sometime in the spring.

Felix, the last born son of King Elias and Queen Astrid, was a handsome, strong and brave prince. In all the years, he'd been the king's quiet favorite, his last born son of his precious queen. Felix was the chosen suitor for Princess Elsa of Arendelle when they were quite young. Unfortunately, Felix found love with Queen Adelaide of the Kingdom of Romany, and spent his current days ruling beside her as king.

After Felix was born, the queen fell ill, and passed away. The devastation that the king and princes felt led to an irreparable emotional damage, a dark shadow cast upon them. Over time, they had forgotten her love and warmth, replaced with a bitterness deep down, a sadness that changed them. When the king's political advisor, Lars, suggested the king marry the young wealthy daughter of a duke from a neighboring kingdom, he reluctantly took his advice. With no plans to have any more children, they soon found they were with child once more. The king hoped for a princess, some kind of light to shine in on this darkened family, a vulnerable one for the princes to adore and protect.

But again, it was another prince. Prince Hans was born, and instead of love and protection, he received bitterness and rejection from all of his family.

All, that is, except for his loving mother, Ava.

While most of the boys took after their father, broad and dark haired, Hans bore a striking resemblance to his lovely mother. She was slimmer, more frail. Her green eyes were piercing and her auburn hair shined like amber in the sunlight. The good in Hans, the part that always tried to override the anger, the hurt and the betrayal of his own family, didn't always win out. He acted out frequently as a young child, out of frustration and neglect. He had found her to be his protector, the one he could go to when no one else was there. She would calm the king when she felt he was being to hard on the youngest prince. This, however, led to feelings of favoritism that just made the other princes even more resentful of the youngest prince.

When Hans was little, six years old, his mother held him in her arms one night when the tears wouldn't stop. Sedak, Mathius and Magnus, the troublesome trio, had spent the evening berating him for not being of pure, royal blood as they were.

"Your mother was practically a commoner," Sedak taunted. Hans cried to his mother, never feeling like they belonged.

"Let's just _go,"_ he begged. "We can go to another kingdom, we can live as other people." His mother lovingly stroked his hair, shushing the heartbroken prince.

"Hans, you must try to find a way to not let those words get to you, you have to remember your worth and your strength. Do not let the anger win, do not let them drive you away."

The queen passed away when Hans was only eight, and with her died the only ally, the only sense of love and belonging, that Hans would ever have.

"Who will it be?" Prince Galen asked again, knowing full well that there was only one real choice at this point. Only one son that was unmarried and willing. The King's dark, brooding eyes found Hans' at the end of the table, he recoiled under their intimidating stare.

"Hans will go to Arendelle to marry Princess Elsa."

The brothers mumbled under their breath in surprise, some louder than others, but none were more shocked than Hans himself.

 _"Me?"_ he asked, his eyes widening and his tone simply astonished. In all the years, Hans had never been picked for royal representation of the Southern Isles; the king would never trust him with such responsibility. Over time, Hans had successfully moved up the ranks of the Navy to Admiral, earned his highest honors in swordsmanship and fencing, and received awards in his equestrian pursuits. He was the utmost example of good breeding and poise, the only people in disagreement of this fact were his own family.

"Not alone, of course. Lars will be attending as well for guidance and guardianship." It was then that the men even noticed Lars in the back of the room, slinking and spying as usual. It seemed that he was always around, a serpent in the grass, studying and skulking in the dark corners.

"You mean to babysit," Sedak chuckled. Hans narrowed his eyes and folded his arms in defiance.

"To ensure that plans go accordingly, that we don't have any mishaps," King Elias clarified.

"It's Hans, of course there will be a mishap," Magnus said hotly. In the few moments he'd been in their attendance, his family had managed to make him feel two inches tall. The fact that his father would even volunteer him left him flabbergasted.

"I don't understand. Why me?" Hans asked to himself more than anyone else.

"Last resort," his father said, dismissingly waving his hand. Of course, it would never be that he was a good candidate or of any importance. There simply were no other options.

"What about us?" Tomas asked, gesturing to himself and Christian. The king rose his eyebrows in amusement.

"You think I would even consider that after the fiasco in The Netherlands years ago?" he asked rhetorically. "And besides, no young, beautiful princess is going to consider marrying an old drunkard. You're both far too old for her."

"She's beautiful?" Hans suddenly asked, realizing that there was a real possibility he would be marrying soon. Was he even ready for that? At the same time, and all at once, Hans had a flash of a life away from this one. King of another country, far away from the torment and aguish of his brothers and his father. Maybe this was the chance he'd been waiting for? Maybe this was his ticket to a better life.

Better yet, this was a chance to reinvent himself, be the person he was always meant to be. To make his mother proud, even though he knew that overcoming his anger and bitterness was going to be the hardest task of all. For as long as he could remember, the unpleasant demons in his head has always been there, beckoning him and calling him over to the dark side. So many times he'd envisioned inflicting pain of any kind upon them, but knowing deep down he was not capable of such atrociousness.

Because through the hate, there was a little boy inside of him that only wanted love and acceptance, for his big brothers to teach him how to fish and allow him to join them on excursions, to be proud of him. So many times, he'd watched from the window as they would play some kind of sport in the castle courtyard, uninvited.

"You'll make the teams uneven," one would lie, usually his late brother Andreas, who at least tried to spare his feelings.

"And we just don't want you to play," Sedak would finish, throwing any sentiment out the window.

"I'm arranging for your garments to be packed, you leave in the morning," King Elias announced. "And now, if you will all excuse us, Hans and I have some details to discuss."

Disappointed or simply uninterested, the princes stood and made their way out of the dining hall, their food untouched, aside from Tomas and Christian, who took their wine to go. The doors slammed, leaving King Elias and Prince Hans in the agonizing silence.

"I am giving you one chance to succeed with this, Hans," the king called out to him. "I want Arendelle, by any means necessary."

"Then send Sedak," Hans defied, "he is much better at doing your dirty work." The king smirked, amused by his son's obvious lack of confidence.

"Sedak is a sociopath," he responded casually.

"Oh, so you HAVE known all these years?"

"I am sending you, that is final," the King said, his voice stern.

"But, what do I  _do_? How will I get her to love me when I cannot even get my own family to?" Hans wondered aloud, his brows furrowed into a frown. The king sighed, his gruffness beginning to dissipate. He stood, a head taller than Hans, and gently put his hand on his shoulder.

"I know that the years have been hard on you, Hans. I know that your brothers have been cruel; I, myself, have not been a perfect father to you," he said quietly, in a tone Hans had never heard his father take, especially not with him. "It is hard for me to trust you with such a task, but our family name is counting on you to marry into Arendelle. This is an opportunity for our kingdom, our name, to grow. And with it, you can escape the torment and the years of hurt from your brothers." In that moment, Hans felt a closeness he'd never felt to his father, as though perhaps he hadn't hated him all these years.

"Why are you being so kind to me?" Hans asked, suspicious and slightly unconvinced that his father was even capable of such kind words. "Who we married or where we ended up has never been that important to you before."

"That was before." The King brought a cup of wine to his lips, taking a sip and setting it back down gingerly. His shoulders slumped a bit, his eyes softening even more than before. "I was hard on you to push you, Hans. You were the runt of the group, you needed to toughen up," Elias rationalized. Hans knew this was his father trying to sound sympathetic or remorseful, although he wasn't particularly too good at it.

"So you let them treat me this way all these years to toughen me up?" Hans exclaimed, appalled. He took a step back, shaking his head slowly. "You LET it happen?"

"I said I was not a perfect man," Elias said, his voice and defensiveness beginning to raise.

"Then why, why now do you send me there with such a heavy responsibility-" Hans began to ask.

"I am dying," Elias finally shouted. Hans' mouth dropped open, then finally closed. He swallowed, hard. Although he'd never been close to his father, although he had deep, dark fantasies of standing over his father's deathbed and telling him exactly what his negligence and 'tough love' had done to him, he was still his father, and the only parent he had left.

"H-how-" Hans began to ask, Elias held a hand up to his son's mouth.

"Details are not important, Hans. I need to know that you will be okay somewhere, with a family, before I go. It is one of my dying wishes. Your brothers, they are strong. They will get along just fine without me. It is not them I worry about." He heaved a great sigh, and tried to reach Hans' averting eyes with his own. "I know I did not treat you well, my son. I know I was always busy, and that losing Queen Astrid changed my heart, in a way that not even your mother could heal, but I can't do anything to change that now. All I can do is trust you to find your way, to become the great man I know you are capable of."

Hans stood, his body frozen and his mind running a million miles per minute. He was flabbergasted at the notion that his father had always cared for him, but had been unable to ever show him, that he let his brothers treat him so badly for so long as a form of conditioning. Everything he had ever done in his life was for his family's approval, and now it all came down to this one task, yet he felt utterly hopeless about it.

"Go to Arendelle, be a different person, be the person you always wanted to be. Court her, marry her, and don't come back. Those are my orders." King Elias turned to walk back to his chair, Hans silently stirring by his seat.

"When do I leave?"

* * *

_**To Be Continued...** _


	2. Coronation Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter One: Coronation Day  
> Our Prince arrives in Arendelle, and soon after he meets an endearing, clumsy princess that turns his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I said this before, but this fic is going to go hand in hand with the events of the movie for the first 7 chapters or so, and then it spins off into the aftermath. I purposefully made each moment in these chapters parallel/canon to the movie. (Minus Lars)

_Chapter 1:_

**Coronation Day**

* * *

 

The voyage was a dangerous one; currents due to the differentiating sea temperatures between the northern and southern hemispheres rocked the boat almost constantly, and summer storms across the ocean were particularly choppy this year.

However, during the four week long passage from the Southern Isles to Arendelle, Hans had spent a lot of time thinking, hoping that he could make his father and his family proud of him for once.

He tried to dig deep inside of himself, to find the part that was unjaded in an effort to put his best foot forward. His father's words echoed inside of his head.

_Be the person you have always wanted to be._

He _wanted_ to. He wanted to reinvent himself. Even when he was little, the day he was clutched to his mother's chest sobbing about starting a new life, that had always been the grandest fantasy to him: to start anew.

He would often think about what kind of man he would have become if he'd had his mother for more than eight years, or if simply his brothers had been loving to him. Perhaps he wouldn't feel this competitive, agonizing need to prove himself and the insatiable drive for power. He really was two souls, split in two.

But this really was a chance at a new beginning, no matter what shortcomings he may have had pointed out his entire life. Where there was self-doubt he practiced confidence, where there was anger or resentment he practiced patience and love. He read, a lot, stories of romance and poetry, hoping that the words of encouragement and love would rub off on him.

It wasn't until he boarded the ship that he realized he had no idea what love was; he had never _been_ in love. He felt quite naïve to it all, since his different passions and constant lessons kept him quite busy in his youth, and the last thing he wanted was to seduce women at the same volume as some of his brothers.

He'd never thought a whole lot about love, not in the romantic sense. He assumed that eventually it would find him, but it was never really a priority. After all, he was only in his 23rd year, he had plenty of time to worry about such things, or so he thought.

And now that he'd really had a chance to think about it, Hans had never realized just how lonely his life really was. He wasn't sure why he'd never been interested in finding a young woman to spend his life with, but now that it was a real, plausible solution he could hardly contain his nerves. Merely a babe in the world, he was sent off to not only court a princess, but marry her and take stock in her kingdom.

The journey itself was quiet, also lonely, but that never troubled him before. Hans was used to being alone, used to silence. Lars had hardly left his bedroom chamber on the ship, which didn't bother him one iota since Lars had always slunk around in the background, mostly unnoticed.

Hans stood on the top deck of his ship, the sea air nipping at his face. It was refreshing, albeit slightly colder than he was expecting, but then again Arendelle was known for its cooler temperatures even in the summer. He wondered what Princess Elsa would be like, what she would look like. All he had was the memory of a painting that hung in their grand ballroom, one delivered to the king when he was quite young.

It was a family portrait of the King Agdar and Queen Idun of Arendelle, along with their two young daughters. It had been a gift; King Elias had collected portraits of all the royal families in neighboring kingdoms. He had always seen it as his own, royal photo album, used to show his high rank in society and diplomacy to foreign visitors.

It hung among the other portraits, nestled close to his favorite reading spot; a bench seat under a grand window that always seemed to have sunshine pouring through, even during the coldest months. The intricate, detailed painting was huge, making the king and queen life-sized with their two young daughters in tow. When Hans was quite little, and alone, he would go into that ballroom to be around 'people.' They weren't real, sure, but to a small child riddled with loneliness, they were the only friends he'd ever had. He would talk to them, and sometimes he pretended they would talk back. Although he never really knew the names to match these many faces, he saw them as his closest confidants. Days in that ballroom got him through tough times, especially when Ava had perished.

But he always recalled the Arendelle family portrait; the tall, proud king with kinder eyes than his own father's, the sweet, caring mother. He hated to admit it, but the two young girls had always been fascinating to him, so starkly different and yet similar at the same time. And although he knew that Elsa, the older daughter with eyes of ice and hair as white as snow, was the one he was going to wed, something about the littler one always called to his heart.

Her strawberry blonde hair looked soft, her eyes inviting, hopeful. She was younger than he, at least by a few years, but he couldn't help but be dawn to her time and time again.

As he grew, he needed the ballroom less and less. Lessons of all kinds would take up his time and he found that soon it would be months, sometimes even years that passed without even stepping foot in that room.

As the air whipped through his hair, Hans stared out at the horizon, Arendelle coming more and more into focus in the distance. The morning sun peaked over the mountains, making the sea blindly sparkling. After the long wait, he was finally here.

* * *

Hans stood tall, proudly adjusting his light grey Admiral's jacket and his burgundy ascot in the mirror. Although he had been at sea for nearly a month, he didn't look the part of a wayward sailor. His navy vest and tailored pants were crisp and neat, his boots still shined to perfection. His hair was longer than he was used to, but at the same time he liked they way it looked; like he was someone else. A new person. He pulled a white glove up over his hand.

"May I enter, your majesty?" Hans heard from the other side of his cabin door. He recognized the voice as Lars, who had finally come out of hiding to announce their arrival, although he'd known they were close for a few hours now.

"Enter," he called out, and heard the door unlatch.

"We are about to dock in Arendelle," Lars said. Hans turned to look at him, surprised to see a slight smile on his usually morose face. He was much older than Hans; lines painted his slightly tanned face. He had dark eyes, almost black and a pointed nose that stuck out farther than any other he'd seen. He had dark, graying hair and very snake-like features that always left him slightly uneasy. He was draped in a dark, purple cloak and a cane that had become his most used accessory was in his black-gloved left hand. He'd use the cane all of Hans' life, although he'd never thought to ask why.

"Thank you, Lars," Hans said politely.

"The coronation is in a few hours, we are arranging a meeting with Princess Elsa beforehand, so that you can-"

"Oh, Lars. Lighten up a bit. We just got here," Hans pleaded slightly. "I'll meet her, but first I want to get off this ship! Let Sitron stretch his legs a bit. I thought maybe we could explore the town." Although Hans hadn't been closed up in a castle all his life, he hadn't been out much either. He'd never explored other kingdoms, such invitations were always reserved for his older brothers. The farthest he made it was to sea while in the Navy, but as far as getting out to see the world he was still slightly virginal.

"Very well, Prince Hans." Lars swallowed back his distaste for the idea, pursing his thin lips. "I will arrange to have Sitron dressed for riding at once."

* * *

The feeling of land under Hans' boots was incredibly comforting, although he figured he'd be suffering from vertigo for the remainder of this visit. He had barely made it off the ship before a cart whirled by him, almost knocking him over.

The villagers were all in a tizzy, flowers and streamers strewn about all over the kingdom. People hustled past and spoke in excited whispers; the gates were to open soon. He didn't know much about Arendelle, but he did know that the princesses lived as shut-ins for most of their lives after the King and Queen had passed and that this was a huge event for the kingdom.

Hans was in the highest spirits he'd been in for longer than he could remember, free at last and alone in a way that made him feel empowered, not lonely. Not far from the docks was the market, which he gravitated to immediately. So many people, so many brightly colored decorations and tapestries; the buzz around him was intoxicating.

In the village square he saw a group of young maidens eyeing him from afar and whispering to one another. His cheeks pinkened when he realized they were talking about him, he could even hear the giddiness in their laughter. He rose a gloved and to them and waved.

"Hello, ladies," he called out politely, their laughter erupting into almost squeals. The interaction brought an instant smile to his face as he realized he was free. THIS was the person he wanted to be.

Lars sent a guard to him with Sitron, who neighed excitedly at his presence.

"Sitron!" Hans yelled out, excited to see his favorite companion as well. He pulled at Sitron's harness and brought his face down towards his, petting his nose gently. "Good to see you too, buddy. Wanna go for a ride?"

The terrain of Arendelle was nothing like the Southern Isles; it was rocky and slightly treacherous and Sitron was not particularly used to it. The views, however, were astonishing. Even in the summer Hans could see snowcapped mountains off in the distance and evergreens cloaked the land in their dark, green musk.

It was easy to be impressed with the beauty of Arendelle, but the people were another story. All the people he passed would bow as he rode by, taken aback by the handsome, young prince. They showed him more respect and gratitude in those first few hours of arriving than he had ever gotten back at home, although he tried hard not to think about it. It was easy for him to feel a sense of belonging here, which was something he didn't even realize he longed for so deeply. The mere notion that this could be his home made him overcome with a feeling inside his belly that he couldn't quite pinpoint. Or maybe that was just the vertigo.

He rode quickly as he heard bells in the distance; the coronation would be starting soon. Hans had been so busy exploring the town and the people that he had completely forgotten about the time.

"Yah!" he yelled out to Sitron, who picked up speed just in time to collide with something, or better yet someone, on the dock. Hans watched in horror as a young woman flew backwards and landed in the back of a nearby rowboat, nearly tipping it over into the cold bay. Thinking fast and with one swift movement, Hans pulled on the reign tightly, prompting Sitron to steady the boat on the dock and keep her from falling.

"Hey!" he heard her yell out in surprise.

"I'm so sorry. Are you hurt?" he asked quickly, fearing that perhaps in his first hours in Arendelle he might inadvertently kill someone. He assumed this was NOT the best way to make a first impression. His eyes met hers, and something struck him instantly: the familiarity. It was as if they'd met before but he wasn't quite sure where. Her big, emerald eyes fixated on his and widened, a silly smile spreading across her lips.

"Hey. I-ya, no. No. I'm okay."

"Are you sure?" He coaxed.

"Yeah I just wasn't looking where I was going. But I'm okay."

Hans smirked to himself and got down off the horse, nearing her and climbing into the boat to help her out of her current predicament. Something about her cute, flustered awkwardness made him wonder if this was a common occurrence for her, getting in a bind.

"I'm great, actually," she assured.

"Oh, thank goodness," he said, a slight chuckle in his voice. He reached his hand down, and she gladly took it, their eyes meeting. Something about the way she looked into his eyes made his breath hitch, he froze for a split second. He couldn't deny the instant chemistry, so much so he realized he'd completely forgotten his manners. He cleared his throat and took a bow.

"Prince Hans of the Southern Isles," he introduced. Usually when he introduced himself to lovely women they all had a similar awestruck reaction, but this one seemed relatively unfazed. She took a small curtsey.

"Princess Anna of Arendelle," she reciprocated. Hans was instantly caught off guard, embarrassed by his casualness in this situation.

"P-Princess?" he repeated, surprised. He instantly fell to one knee, bowing more dramatically than before. "My Lady." Taking a cue from his rider, Sitron raised his hoof in honor of the princess, only to send the two of them nearly toppling into the bay, together this time, Hans falling with all of his weight onto the princess.

"Hi again," Anna said, seemingly trying to defuse the embarrassing situation they'd both found themselves in. Realizing his mistake, Sitron instantly slammed his foot down, destabilizing the boat, causing them back to topple backwards, this time her on top of him.

"Oh boy," Hans exclaimed, the air almost knocked right out of him. They lingered a moment, Anna beginning to blush nervously.

"Ha. This is awkward. Not you're awkward, but just because we're- - I'm awkward, you're gorgeous," she rambled as they got back to their feet. He couldn't help but chuckle under his breath at her quirkiness. Her eyes grew three sizes as she realized what she'd just said to him. "Wait. What?"

"I want to formally apologize for hitting the Princess of Arendelle with my horse…and every moment after," he said casually, hoping to ease her nervousness. It didn't seem to help, she remained bashful and flustered under his intense stare. She tucked some lose hair behind her ear and shrugged.

"No, no-no. It's fine. I'm not THAT princess. I mean, if you'd hit my sister Elsa that would be - - _Yeesh!_ 'Cause, you know…" her words trailed as she walked by him, almost re-running into Sitron again. She sweetly patted his nose, and Hans made the observation that she had the attention span of a flea. "Hello," she greeted the horse, safely back on the dock. She turned to him again, their eyes locking once more. "But, luck you. It was just me."

"Just you," Hans repeated, suddenly realizing where he'd seen her before. In the flesh, not painted upon canvass, was the beautiful, doe-eyed little girl he'd told all his secrets to growing up. She was older now, of course, but it was undoubtedly her. It was his turn to be simply awestruck at her lines and curves, painted more brilliantly in real life than he could have ever imagined growing up.

_Diiiing, diiiing, diiiing_

"The bells. The coronation! I-I-I…I better go! I have to.. I better go!" she said frantically, outlining his own thoughts as well. He watched her begin to run off, relieved when she turned back around to see him one more time. "Bye," she waved, the bashful smile returning to her face. He smiled and waved back.

Sitron lifted his hoof once more, this time forgetting to secure it, sending Hans himself into the freezing cold bay water. Although he knew he would most likely be late for the coronation at this point, he didn't particularly care. He had to get dressed and ready to meet Princess Elsa soon…although that wasn't the princess he wanted to get to know at all.

* * *

The coronation was boring, as were most royal traditions. He realized quickly that he was glad he'd never been chosen to attend such events in the past, they were less than thrilling. Sandwiched between other members of royalty and a personal pillow for a large, older man, Hans was oddly at peace however. He was happy he'd made it to the ceremony just in time, having had to stop off and change from his heavy, soaked attire. Luckily, however, his clothes and belongings had been moved to his suite in the castle, where many of the most honored guests were staying as well.

Elsa was, of course, beautiful. But in the moments before the ceremony as she greeted everyone, there was something so cold and closed off about her. He didn't feel the electricity, the instant connection with her, like he did with Anna.

 _Anna_.

Sweet, naïve, silly Anna. He couldn't exactly figure out how he felt about the whole plan anymore. It was easy to see from the get-go that Elsa was going to be a tough nut to crack, and at this point he wasn't even entirely sure that he wanted to, anymore.

The last few weeks he had prepared everything; how he would woo her, what he would say, how it would all go down. The thing about life is that it doesn't always go according to a plan, and although Elsa had freewill to marry whomever she wanted, he had very little faith she was even open to the idea of ANYONE courting her, let alone the 13th born of a long line of jerks.

Anna peeked over at him, smiling happily to see him in the pew. He smiled back, giving her a small wave. The look in her eye was reassuring. Did it really matter which of the two princesses he married? Didn't his father just want him to find happiness?

Hans shook the thoughts out of his head quickly; he was getting carried away. He didn't even KNOW them. And it wasn't about love, none of this was. It was about sticking to the plan. If love grew from that, it would just be icing on the cake. In royalty, it was not uncommon for people who hardly knew each other to marry, it would grow to mutual respect and in the best cases love would follow.

Elsa stood at the front of the chapel, her scepter and orb in hand, while the Bishop chanted in Norse. The coronation was finally nearing the end, and Hans let out a sigh of relieve that he could soon pry the large snorer from his aching shoulder.

"Queen Elsa of Arendelle," the Bishop announced.

"Queen Elsa of Arendelle," the congregation repeated.

They all stood and waited for the Queen, Princess Anna and the Bishop to file out before exiting afterward. Hans shook his neighbor awake who awoke with a startle, before standing and stretching his cramped arm.

"What a snooze-fest, eh Lars?" Hans joked lightly, but Lars looked less than amused.

"You missed your meeting with Queen Elsa before the coronation. You barely made it in time," Lars scolded. Hans scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"I told you I-"

"I am beginning to think you are not taking your father's orders seriously. There were numerous suitors lined up to greet her, but The Southern Isles was notably missing. How do you think that makes us look, Hans?" Lars was fuming. Hans shrunk under Lars' angry chagrin; he hadn't thought about how his absence would look to the Queen or her officials. "This is exactly what your father was afraid of," Lars grumbled under his breath. Hans didn't wait around to hear any more, he'd had enough. He turned on a heel and hurriedly walked to his private bedroom chamber. He had a party to get ready for.

 

* * *

 

_To Be Continued..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coming up next...  
> Chapter 2: Love Is An Open Door  
> Hans and Anna spend the evening together and Hans finds himself falling for her, despite himself.


	3. Love Is An Open Door

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2: Love Is An Open Door  
> Hans and Anna spend the evening together and Hans finds himself falling for her, despite himself.

**Chapter 2:**

_Love is an Open Door_

* * *

 

Hans was trying to forget what Lars had said earlier, although it was hard to shake the words out of his head. Less than one amazing day in Arendelle and he was already being reminded of just what he was running away from. He clenched his fists and tried to keep his composure as he dressed for the party, pacing around his room. How could he have dropped the ball already? How could he have been deterred from his mission so quickly?

 _I really am a failure,_ he thought to himself.

Luckily, Lars had left him alone with his thoughts, which gave him time to find some kind of composure. He stared at his reflection in the mirror: he didn't recognize himself, which he didn't mind. He wanted to be someone else, that's all he'd ever hoped for. His green eyes were brighter, his face lightly sprinkled with freckles, a gift from his mother. He needed to get his head in the game, he needed to go to Elsa and ask her to dance, get to know her and forget about the strawberry blonde with gem-toned eyes and a green dress.

The ball itself was as lavish as he imagined it would be; tapestries, gold and music filling the room with the aroma of chocolate and decadence. Everyone seemed to be having a grand time, perhaps slightly warm from the free-flowing wine and gourmet food. He stood alone, no one really engaged him in conversation aside from idle small-talk and introductions. Lars still seemed sore, standing in the back of the room and watching as usual, his purple cloak exchanged for a white and gold one. Now that he'd had the time to calm down, he remembered that Lars really was just trying to do his job. He did it well, otherwise he wouldn't have been his father's most trusted confidant for the last 30 years.

"Queen Elsa of Arendelle!" they announced proudly. Hans clapped with the crowd, picking up a flute of champagne as a server walked by. He took a big swig of it, liquid courage, and started towards the front of the room to join an assembly line of people anxious to greet her.

"Princess Anna of Arendelle!" they announced next. Hesitantly and ever-so-awkwardly, Anna joined her regal-looking sister near the thrown. Hans stopped, eying them intently; they talked quietly, shared a moment. He began to forge towards them again when he was abruptly cut off by a waif-like, dwarfish man in a bad toupee. Hans ran a frustrated hand through his hair; he'd have to wait. He then watched in slightly amused horror as the man led a reluctant Anna to the dance floor. Hans gave up, retiring to the back of the room to rejoin Lars.

Lars seemed to have calmed down as well, clutching a goblet of red wine in his long, pale fingers.

"Are you enjoying yourself this evening, your majesty?" Lars asked, although Hans could sense a lack of sincerity in his voice.

"As well as expected," Hans responded. "Those girls are hard to get to," he observed.

"That is why we set up the meeting," Lars said curtly, but grinned anyway. "You know, the one in which you did not attend?" Hans ignored the jab and shook his head.

"I'm not sure what to do." The men's eyes went to Elsa, who was standing like a statue in the front of the room, talking to no one. "Why is she like that? Has she always been this way?" Hans asked, slightly annoyed at his difficult task at hand. "Is it because she lost her parents?"

"It happened long before that. No one really knows. She's always been a timid girl," Lars divulged. Hans sighed loudly. "I am sure you will have time to engage with her at the luncheon scheduled tomorrow afternoon; we are supposed to discuss trade with her there, you remember correct?" Lars asked. Hans nodded again.

"Right, right. I got it."

"Just enjoy yourself, it doesn't look like the Queen is up for socializing much this evening."

With Lars' blessing, Hans began back out into the crowd, picking up another glass of champagne. He was never really one to drink, but his nerves had him slightly on edge and he was trying his best to ease his worries. He smiled and waved to the party guests, making his way across the crowd when he saw something fast, a flurry of green and gold, fly by him. Out of reflex, he threw his hand out to catch it, only to face a blushing and nervous Anna. He couldn't help but smile at her, yet again tripping over herself.

"Glad I caught you," he uttered, pleased to realize just how smooth he sounded.

"Hans!" she exclaimed happily. Hans set his drink down, pulling her up to his chest. It was in that moment that he realized that the music was playing, impulsively pulling her into a waltz.

She was actually surprisingly graceful, something he didn't expect at all from the times he'd seen her. In that moment, Hans felt content; happy even. She stared at him with stars in her eyes, totally trusting and infatuated, like he was special. Like he could do anything.

She didn't know his past or his life before her; all she knew was a handsome, charming prince was holding her and twirling her around a room full of people. And she let him.

 _It's just one dance_ , he said to himself.  _I can meet Elsa tomorrow. This doesn't have to mean anything._

Without paying attention, Anna flung her arm out, accidentally smacking a server as he walked by. The impact caused a chain reaction. Glasses from the waiter's tray went tumbling down, crashing onto the floor, causing a scene. Anna quickly brought her hands to her mouth, mortified at her seemingly-constant clumsiness.

"You really  _are_  awkward, aren't you?" he laughed lightly, remembering her words at the boat earlier that day. "Wanna get outta here?" he suggested quickly.

"Yup!" she nodded enthusiastically, grabbing his hand and leading him out of the party and to an empty sitting room. Hans continued to chuckle, happy to be out and away from the crowd. After a brief silence, Anna turned to face him. She forced a nervous smile, Hans adjusted his white jacket and smoothed his hair. They glanced out towards the party in time to see a woman slip on the spilled beverages on the floor, a crowd starting to circle around her.

"Wow," he breathed, astonished at what a mess she'd made. "I hope she's okay…"

"Um. Yeah. I'm really sorry about that," she stammered.

"It's fine," he reassured.

"No, it's like,  _REALLY_  not fine. I am so emb-" Hans cut her off, gently putting his hands on her shoulders. He looked into her eyes and smiled warmly.

"No, it's like, REALLY fine."

"Oh," she smiled, bigger this time, her eyes falling down and over to his hands resting on her shoulders. She seemed to be at ease under her hands, finally calming down. Hans walked over to a serving tray, bringing her back a glass of champagne along with one for himself.

"Here, this will help," he said, extending the glass towards her.

"I- uh. I dunno. I don't really drink. I mean…I haven't ever drank," she explained, pointing to the glass sheepishly.

"I guess it's time you try something new," he suggested, nudging it at her again. She giggled a bit, taking the glass. Without much thought, she shrugged her shoulders and brought the glass to her lips, taking a small sip. She mused for a second, her face registering the taste.

"Hmm it's…bubbly," she described.

"It's champagne, it's suppo-" Hans' words trailed off as he watched her tip the whole glass back and drink it all. "Well. Ok. Yeah, that's one way to do it."

"I like it," she nodded, her eyes large and excited. "Like, I could drink a whole bunch of this stuff!"

"Whoa, now. Simmer down. I think one whole glass in less than ten seconds is plenty for now," he laughed. "For an amateur, at least." He took the glass from her and set it down on a nearby table, turning to look at her again. She wrinkled her nose and laughed when their eyes met again, beginning to fan herself with her hand.

"Wow, it's hot in here. Is it hot in here or is it just me?" she spoke quickly.

"It's just you," he smirked, instantly noting the double meaning behind the words. "So, this is your palace, huh?" Hans said, attempting to change the subject. He glanced around, noting the impeccable taste. "What a dump," he teased.

"Hey!" she giggled, hitting him lightly on the arm. "It's not much, but it's home," she joked back.

"Lots of space for just the two of you."

"Well, I mean, it wasn't just us." She began to fidget with her hands, unable to ever stay still. "There were the maids and the butlers of course. Not to mention there were always foreign dignitaries in and out, Kai, the elders than had control until Elsa was of age."

"I bet you two have wonderful memories running around this place," Hans wondered aloud. Anna's face suddenly changed from bright and cheery to somber, leaving Hans curious if he'd said something wrong. "What? What is it?"

"Oh, it's nothing," Anna said, waving her hand. "I mean, Elsa and I- we're-" she paused, gnawing on her lip, trying to find the right words. "We aren't that close, is all. Not anymore, at least. She didn't spend much time out of her room growing up. Like… Ever."

"Ever?" Hans asked in disbelief. Anna nodded weakly.

"I mean, I still entertained myself! I had a lot of fun. I often had the whole parlor to myself to slide…" she said excitedly, so much so that her arm sprang out and smacked Hans right in the face.

"Ouch!" he laughed, rubbing his face. She instantly brought her arms up to him.

"Oh my goodness, are you alright? I am so-"

"Sorry? Yeah. I know," he finished.

"I think that champagne went right to my head. Would you…" she paused, a wry smile crossing her face, "like to take a walk?"

The two of them entered the courtyard, Hans made an instant note of how perfectly lit up the sky was between the stars, the lights from the village and the moon. He also couldn't help but notice just how lovely Anna looked in the moonlight, but he tried to shake that thought out of his head as soon as it entered.

They talked. Well, mostly Anna talked. A lot. Hans didn't mind though, the less she knew about him the better, and she seemed to have no problem telling him all the stories of her childhood, what had happened to her parents, how Elsa never left her room. He figured getting insight on Elsa was a good idea, but the more Anna described her the more he realized that there was almost no way he was going to be able to penetrate her emotional armor. He was happy, however, to see such lightness in Anna. It was refreshing to see someone who had been the product of such tragedy, and to go through most of it completely alone, was such a normal, functioning, even happy human being.

"…And so how long have you been in the Navy?" she asked him.

"About 5 years so far, but I took fencing and horseback riding since I was a child so I was used to the discipline."

"…And your physique helps I'm sure, too," she noted aloud. Hans rose his eyebrows, and Anna looked slightly mortified for saying it.

"What can I say? You're right. I've got an amazing body," he joked, Anna laughed. He gently nudged her with his arm, she gently nudged him back.

 _No. No. NO NO NO_.

This is not the plan. This isn't how this is supposed to happen.

_I need you to take Arendelle by any means necessary._

His fathers words loudly repeated in his head, over and over again. And yet, in this same conversation King Elias told him that he just wanted him to be happy and loved somewhere.  _THIS_  couldn't be love. A couple of fleeting hours with a beautiful girl that made him laugh and puzzled him with her quirky habits and clumsiness couldn't possibly be love.

_Could it?_

He didn't know anything ABOUT love. For all he knew it was the champagne making his heart beat faster and his stomach flutter. Why did it have to be Elsa? Why couldn't the first in line for Arendelle be THIS princess? And more importantly, did it really even matter?

YES IT MATTERED.

 _You're a failure. They are all expecting you to fail._ The voice that had been quieted for most of his voyage returned to his head, and with a vengeance.  _They knew you couldn't do it, they should have sent another brother. A smarter brother. A better brother._

Hans desperately tried to ignore the painfully aggressive self-doubt plaguing him while he walked beside her; luckily she didn't seem to notice his internal struggle, just seemed to ramble off more about her life and her dreams, her aspirations.

"I used to want to be a dancer," she was saying. He tried to focus back in on the conversation. "But, I am not sure if you know this, I am not that graceful all the time." Hans stared at her, noticing a long, thick chunk of white in her hair that he'd never noticed before this point.

"What's this?" he asked, gesturing towards it. Anna recoiled a bit, ashamedly patting it.

"I was born with it, although I dreamt I was kissed by a troll," she smiled, embarrassedly.

"I like it," Hans uttered. It wasn't until after he said it that he realized that he really did like it. He liked everything about her.

"Have you ever had krumkake before?" Anna suddenly asked, snapping Hans back to reality. Attention span of a flea, he remembered.

"I can't say I have," he replied.

"Come on! You don't know what you're missing!" she exclaimed, grabbing his hand and leading him back to the party. She hurried over to the desert table and began filling a large, gold-plated dish with as many sweets as she could. Hans stared at her in disbelief.

"You really like sweets, huh?" he asked. She glanced over at him, her cheeks full of some sort of cake. She nodded happily as she continued to sift through the desert table. "Me too," he laughed, helping her put a few more delicacies on the plate. The two of them hurried off, retiring to a quiet balcony.

Once outside, Anna sat the tray down between them and began grazing it, unsure where to begin. Hans shook his head.

"You really wiped that table out, didn't you?"

"I can never decide what I want, so I just take it all."

"This is literally enough to feed my entire family, and I have twelve older brothers!" he laughed. Anna picked up a rolled desert with whipped cream in the middle and brought it up to his face.

"Here, eat this. This is krumkake, you have to eat the whole thing all at once," she instructed.

"Well, aren't you the expert," he said rhetorically, taking the desert from her waiting hand. "Just like this? The whole thing?"

"Yeah! The whole thing! You got it!" she said, cheering him on. He did as he was instructed, not at all disappointed with the deliciousness she'd promised. She laughed at him struggling the eat it, then refocused. "Okay, wait, wait. So you have HOW many brothers?" she asked, surprised.

"Twelve older brothers. Three of them pretended I was invisible…literally…for two years!" He tried his hardest to say this particularly hurtful sentence as lightly as possible, and it seemed to work. Her eyes saddened, sympathy painting her face.

"That's horrible," she said sadly.

"It's what brothers do." He almost believed it.

"…And sisters," she divulged. Hans couldn't help but relate to the sadness in her eyes as she spoke. "Elsa and I were really close when we were little. But then, one day, she just shut me out, and I never knew why…" Hans reached for her hand; he didn't think about it before he did, it just seemed like the right thing to do. He wanted to touch her, to relate to her. This was the first time in his whole life that he realized that someone out there knew his pain, related to him on this level. Elsa may not have been cruel like his family, but the feeling of being alone with no one to turn to or talk to was so unbelievably damaging.

"I would never shut you out," he said, the words spilling out before he had a chance to stop them. Her eyes found his again, softer and hopeful, she smiled meekly, a little desperation in her voice.

"Can I just…say something crazy?"

"I love crazy," he said happily.

She went on to tell him about how lonely her life had been and how much their interaction had meant to her over the course of the last couple hours. It was easy to get swept up in the moment. For once in both of their lives, someone was there to offer a hand and a sympathetic shoulder, to say "I get it. I understand."

To say that they got carried away was an understatement. They spent the rest of the evening talking, laughing, even singing. They danced, they drank more champagne and ate more deserts. They narrowly escaped guards as they roamed the halls of the castle. They acted like children at play, something they never particularly got in their youth.

Hans was falling in love, or at least, what he thought was love. It was so quick and so hard that he didn't even realize when it happened. The plan, Elsa, Lars, his father and his family, all of that was the last thing on his mind when he was with her.

When Hans was with Anna, he wasn't an Admiral. He wasn't a swordsman, a prince, a royal representative. He wasn't a failure. He was just… Hans. The person he wanted to be.

And wasn't that the real plan, wasn't that all his father wanted from him?

Their last stop of the evening was a cliff side, by a waterfall. He was drunk on their newfound infatuation. He wrapped his long arms around her, holding her close and taking in her scent. He turned around in the excitement of it all and uttered,

"Can I say something crazy…? Will you marry me?" Anna's eyes widened, her smile bright and beaming.

"Can I just say something even crazier?" she asked. Hans nodded. "Yes!"

And in that moment, Hans was happier than he'd ever been. He wasn't thinking about consequences. He had his ticket out of his miserable life, whether he would be king or not. But deep in the pit of his stomach he knew Lars was not going to be happy about this…

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coming Up Next...  
> Chapter 3: The Substitute King  
> Elsa's powers are revealed and Hans' plans are thwarted.


	4. The Substitute King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3: The Substitute King  
> Elsa's powers are revealed and Hans' plans are thwarted.

**Chapter 3:**

_The Substitute King_

* * *

 

Hans was  _beaming_.

He felt like the luckiest man in the world, being dragged through the party by Anna. The crowd was fanning out, starting to dissipate as the night started approaching the morning hours. They trudged through, pushing their way around weary guests.

He couldn't believe his luck; not only had he met a beautiful, funny, interesting (albeit, naïve) princess, but she was willing to marry him  _on the spot_. Sure, maybe it veered off from the original plan, but hypothetically-speaking, if anything were to happen to the queen, it was most certainly Anna who would take the throne. And who would reign right beside her? Why, her handsome, courageous husband, of course.

Success was so close, he could almost taste it. The idea left him absolutely giddy. Although he wasn't quite sure what it was, exactly, that he felt for Princess Anna, he was almost positive that with some time and cultivation, he really  _could_  love her. This was close enough for now.

Together, they spotted Elsa in the crowd, talking to some patrons, presumably thanking them for their attendance.

"Elsa!" Anna yelled out, before toning herself down. She curtsied awkwardly. "I mean…Queen. Me again. Um. May I present Prince Hans of the Southern Isles." Hans took that as his cue to bow in front of the beautiful, reserved queen.

"Your majesty," he greeted, politely. Elsa curtsied back. Anna could hardly contain herself, she was bursting at the seams.

"We would like-" she paused, so Hans continued for her.

"Your blessing-"

"…of-" she giggled, the suspense growing.

"Our marriage!" they finally blurted in unison, embracing one another. They watched as Elsa's face fell.

"Marriage…?" she asked, her tone falling flat.

"Yes!" Anna exclaimed, excitedly.

"I'm sorry, I'm confused." Hans wasn't liking the look in her eyes, but he figured all she needed was a little convincing; after all, they'd only just met. It was normal for her to be hesitant. But she wasn't there with them tonight, she didn't know the chemistry or the connection they'd made so quickly. If she'd been there with them the whole night, she would understand.

"Well, we haven't worked out all the details ourselves. We'll need a few days to plan the ceremony. Of course, we'll have soup, roast, ice cream and then…" she paused, an epiphany coming to her. "Wait. Would we live here?" she bounced up and down excitedly.

"Aaaaaabsolutely!" Hans agreed; that was  _definitely_  part of the plan. Why would he take her back to the Southern Isles when they could just stay here in Arendelle? A place where no one knew him, a place where he was respected and welcomed with such open arms. He could hardly believe how perfectly this was going.

"Oh! We can invite all twelve of your brothers to stay with us-" she said to Hans happily, ignoring Elsa's quiet protests. "Of course we have the room, I don't know. Some of them must-"

"Wait! Slow down," Elsa said sternly, finally quieting Anna's rambling. "No one's brothers are staying here. No one is getting married." The words stung, Hans suddenly felt very foolish standing there in front of the young queen's icy gaze; something about the rejection resonated with him quickly, and he was increasingly aware of all of the eyes upon them, beginning to create a scene. No eyes, however, burned into them more than those of Lars, glowering in the back corner as per usual. He swallowed hard; let out a nervous laugh.

"Wait, what?" Anna asked, her voice crushed. Elsa seemed to notice the crowd as well, lowering her head and voice towards Anna.

"May I talk to you please? Alone?" she requested quietly. Anna stepped away from her sister, defiantly taking Hans' arm in hers.

"No," she said, hurt but strong. "Whatever you have to say y-you can say to both of us." Elsa's eyes narrowed, her head tall once more.

"Fine. You can't marry a man you just met." Hans felt his stomach drop. It was silly of him to assume this could go off without a hitch. The worst part was that Elsa was right. The self-doubt instantly came flooding back to Hans. The women continued their argument, and all Hans could do was silently panic inside.

 _His_  plan was quickly unraveling, and his father's plan was ruined. There was no way he would be marrying  _either_  woman at this point, especially now that Elsa wouldn't bless the marriage. Word of his failure was sure to reach his father in no time. if only he hadn't acted so hastily, if only he had waited a few days, met the queen and cultivated the relationship instead of letting his infatuation get the better of him.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid._

The girls bickered more and Hans tired to intercede, only to be shot down by a cold and definite Elsa. He worried, not just about himself but about Anna as well. She was braver than usual; he assumed the champagne and adrenaline was helping her say things she would have normally kept inside. It wasn't long before she held Elsa's glove in her hand, begging her for some kind of reaction other than shutting her out.

"When I said to enjoy yourself, this is hardly what I meant," Lars' voice spat near his ear, fuming. He hadn't even noticed Lars slink up beside him. He ignored him completely, moving forward after Anna. He would deal with Lars later.

Without knowing exactly what was being said between the sisters at this point, Hans was taken aback by a giant, icy blast across the room. Patrons gasped in shock, himself included. It took a moment to process what was happening, and that the giant, pointed shards of ice that now blanketed the ballroom floor had come from Elsa uncloaked hand.

"Sorcery!" the waif-ish, old Duke exclaimed, putting a name on the mystical spectacle they'd all just witnessed. Hans didn't know what exactly it was, his sole interest now was making sure Anna was okay. Elsa ran out of the large, oak doors of the ballroom and into the night, and Hans ran to Anna's side.

"A-are you hurt?" he asked, genuinely concerned as he pressed his hand to her cheek and examined her for injuries. Her eyes never met his as she watched after Elsa, struggling to go after her, but Hans held her back.

"I have to go to her, let me go to her!" she said, her eyes brimming with tears. "She  _needs_  me!"

"Not until you tell me if you're hurt," Hans demanded. She turned to him, her eyebrows low and sad, confused.

"N-no," she choked out, suddenly pulling him close to her in a tight hug. He wrapped his arms around her, lowering his head to hers. In that moment he realized he was physically closer to her than he'd been all night.

"What are you going to do?"

"I-I…" she paused, trying to make sense of everything that was happening. "I need to go to her," she said, looking up at him, her blue eyes pleading. Hans simply nodded, before following her out into the courtyard.

Anna called after Elsa, running at full speed. Even with all of Hans' training, it was hard to keep up with the agile girls. He watched in awe as Elsa began to freeze the bay, as well as the village, making a run for it across the fjord. He ran to Anna's side as he watched her attempt to run after her across the ice, only to slip and fall. There was no way they would be able to catch up to Elsa to stop her on the slick ice. Hans helped a defeated Anna up and they turned back, hurrying towards the guards and patrons that continued to stand, bewildered and frightened.

"Are you alright?" Hans asked again. It was the only thing he could really think to say, as he, too, was in shock over the events that had transpired in only a matter of moments.

"No," she finally said, a sob in her voice.

"Did you know?" he asked.

"No."

How could she not know that Elsa had such a great power within her? Hans took a deep breath, trying to piece together what he'd just witnessed. His moment of clarity wasn't to come, however, as they spotted the Duke trying to arrange a party to go after the queen.

"Wait, no!" Anna yelled out to him. The Duke jumped behind his men.

"YOU! Is there sorcery in  _you_ , too? Are you a monster, too?"

"No-no," Anna said, fear in her voice. Hans could only imagine what the Duke was going to do with this information, the treachery and the witch hunt that would ensure. Surely Anna would be under investigation for what she knew, if anything at all. And now that he thought about it, what IF Anna had some kind of untapped power inside of her she had not realized yet? He didn't really know her. But that didn't matter. He felt it his duty to protect her. "I'm completely ordinary."

"That's right, she is…" But she wasn't. She was special. Just not ice-throwing, village-freezing special. He glanced down at her lovingly. "I-in the best way."

"…And my sister's not a Monster."

"She nearly killed me!" the Duke yelled dramatically. Hans could feel his patience for this man running increasingly thinner and thinner.

"You slipped on ice," he corrected.

"HER ice," the Duke clarified.

"It was an accident. She was scared. She didn't mean it. She didn't mean any of this…." Anna finally interceded. "Tonight was my fault." Hans couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt as well. Had he not been there, had he not proposed like an idiot, this wouldn't have happened. "I pushed her. So I'm the one that needs to go after her."

"What?" Hans protested.

"Bring me my horse, please!" Anna commanded. Hans grabbed her shoulders and turned her to him.

"Anna! No! It's too dangerous!" Hans objected. He instantly realized just how naïve Anna really was, wanting to go after her sister. Here was a princess that had never really experienced anything beyond castle walls wanting to trek through the snow to find her sister.

"Elsa's not dangerous!" Anna insisted, heatedly. "I'll bring her back, and I'll make this right," she said to him, her eyes full of tears. He wanted to make it better for her, he wanted to tell her that this wasn't her fault, he wanted to fetch Sitron and go with her, they'd find her together. The Royal Handler approached them with her cloak and horse.

"I'm coming with you,' he demanded.

"No," she said firmly. "I need you here to take care of Arendelle."

What? Just like that? She and the queen were gone and it was up to him to rule their kingdom in their absence? In his life, his father never even trusted him to provide royal representation of the Southern Isles, let alone rule a kingdom, even if temporarily. The thought of ruling Arendelle fascinated and excited him. Without much thought, he assured her.

"On my honor," he promised. Anna threw on her cloak and hopped onto her horse.

"I leave Prince Hans in charge," she announced, much to the Duke's dismay. Something about that sentence fed a part of Hans he didn't even know was hungry. Although he knew he should go with her, insist on leaving the kingdom in the capable and trusting hands of the dignitaries that had ruled on behalf of the queen for the last three years, he was elated at the chance to prove himself. And she was giving him that chance. He held onto her for a moment longer.

"Are you sure you can trust her? I don't want you getting hurt."

"She's my sister. She would never hurt me," Hans watched her snap the reins and ride off into the snow-covered streets of Arendelle. He watched helplessly, knowing that anything that happened to her from this point forward was simply beyond his control, and it made his heart ache in his chest.

_She's my sister, she would never hurt me._

But Hans, of all people, knew just how hurtful siblings could really be. And that thought alone terrified him. Watching her ride away, Hans instantly felt regret for letting her go alone. There were plenty of guards, why would she go alone?

"Now what are we supposed to do, freeze to death?!" the Duke spat angrily. Hans turned to face the crowd, all of their dependence was now on him. He felt his hands shake as he realized just how much responsibility now rested on his (questionably) able shoulders.

"What do we do?" a townsperson cried out.

"We aren't prepared for this cold!"

"Our crops will die! We will starve!"

"…our children will freeze!"

The anguish began to grow increasingly desperate. Hans hurried to the frozen fountain, standing upon the concrete wall to rise above their heads, even if only by a few feet.

"Citizens!" he yelled out. They turned to him, anxiously awaiting instructions. He swallowed, hard. They needed a leader right now, so that was what he was going to be. "We mustn't panic! We will do what we can to endure this hardship! We will be distributing cloaks and blankets from the castle," he yelled towards the wait staff, who hurried inside to begin rummaging through linen closets and storages. "We must do what we can to keep warm; all able men need to be helping get firewood from the nearby woods, and all salvageable foods from the crops and gardens need to be harvested for consumption and storage." He looked among their worried faces. "We need to work together, depend on one another! We will get through this, I assure you."

Hans hopped down from the wall, hurrying over to one of his men.

"Get me Sitron," he demanded. He was going after her, he never should have let her go alone.

"Absolutely  _not_!" he heard Lars' angry voice call out. He turned to him.

"I need to help Anna," he insisted.

"You have done  _enough_!" Lars growled. Hans turned his back on him and began to put on his riding cloak. Lars reached for his shoulder and turned him around. "One more move and I will send word to your father about just how much damage you have done!" Hans shrunk under his dark and angry stare. "Get inside of your bedroom chamber at once so we can discuss just what you were thinking!"

Sent to his room like an adolescent. Hans couldn't believe this was happening, how had everything gone so awry in a matter of one day?

 _You're a failure_.

He paced the room, anxiously looking out the window. The snow continued to dump down upon the ill-prepared village in flurries. He worried, not just for himself and Anna, whom he still couldn't believe was braving this treacherous weather, but for the people of Arendelle as well. He was all nerves, anxiously awaiting Lars to hear just how much he'd screwed this up. There was so much he needed to do, he felt torn into a million pieces. He needed to be here, ruling Arendelle in the Queen's absence. He needed to be out among the people, handing out cloaks and food. He needed to be with Anna, making sure she wasn't freezing to death or… he couldn't even imagine what kind of trouble she could be in already.

The loud bang from Lars barging into the room made him jump. He stood, quickly, prepared for the sound ear-bashing he was to receive.

"Lars, I-"

"What were you thinking?" Lars asked, his tone more even than Hans was expecting.

"I-I don't know-" Hans began.

"That is not an answer," Lars corrected. Hans looked down, unsure of what to say. "Your orders were clear, were they not?" Lars asked. Hans didn't respond. "So I will ask again. What were you thinking?" his tone became more menacing.

"I fell in love," Hans tried, but Lars' condescending gaze made him doubt himself. "Or at least, I-I think I did," he added sheepishly. Surely, Lars should understand that love, indeed, was a probable answer.

"Oh, Hans. If you believe that you fell in love you are more idiotic and naïve than even  _I_  thought," he said coldly.

"It's true!" Hans said, defensively. "I know it sounds crazy, but Princess Anna loves me and we-"

"She doesn't  _love_  you Hans. And you don't love her! You don't even  _know_  each other!"

"You're wrong. We felt something tonight. She does loves me-"

"She doesn't! She doesn't know any better. It was her first day outside of the castle walls and all she found was  _you_. Who is to say once she gets wind of any other man she bumps into she is not going to fall for him as well? You are setting yourself up for disaster, and shaming the Westergaard name in the process!" Hans was speechless. Lars walked towards Hans, his eyes narrowing. "Your family would be ashamed if they knew just how weak you  _really_  are. They have always thought so little of you, how disappointing that you must prove it so quickly."

Hans' legs suddenly felt weak. He sat on the sofa by the fireplace, feeling sick to his stomach. Lars was right; how foolish he was acting. In LOVE? He didn't even know what love was, and yet he was willing to throw away everything because he assumed his infatuation with Anna was true love. Lars sighed, turning to poke at the dying fire.

"Such a shame I have to report this to your father," he said, sadly. Hans looked up at him, his eyes pleading.

"Please, don't tell them. They want to see me fail, it would kill what little dignity I have in their eyes," Hans begged. Lars' lips curled into a wry smile.

"I suppose there is a way we can try to fix this," Lars suggested coolly.

"Anything," Hans agreed, just thankful for any opportunity to undo what he'd done in such little time.

"You'll need to kill Queen Elsa."

 

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coming Up Next...  
> Chapter 4: Freezing Heart  
> After aiding Arendelle in its time of need, Hans begins his journey to find Anna... and then he happens upon a little shop in the forest and learns Anna is no longer searching for her sister alone.


	5. Freezing Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4: Freezing Heart  
> After aiding Arendelle in its time of need, Hans begins his journey to find Anna... and then he happens upon a little shop in the forest and learns Anna is no longer searching for her sister alone.

**Chapter 4:**

_Freezing Heart_

* * *

 

_You'll have to kill Queen Elsa._

He felt nauseous from his conversation with Lars, who offered up this cold, heartless solution to the problem he faced. He'd always known Lars was dark, but this plan was downright diabolical.

"Kill Queen Elsa?" Hans asked Lars in disbelief that the words had even fell from his mouth. Hans then suddenly remembered watching Lars his whole life, always whispering in his father's ear, always around. He began to wonder just how many of the ruthless things he'd watched his father accomplish as king had been through the influence of Lars.

One time, when Hans was quite small, he remembered wandering through the castle hallways late at night trying to find his mother. He happened upon his father's study, the door slightly ajar. He reached for the handle, hoping to see his mother nestled by the fire reading a book as usual, but instead he heard the hushed voices of his father and Lars, plotting.

"Your majesty, King Julian has had plenty of warnings. It is time to make good on your threats," he'd heard Lars harshly whisper.

"But the countless, civilian lives at stake-" the king began.

"Collateral damage, your highness. He knew this was the risk!"

"I don't want that blood upon my hands," the king sighed.

"Are you weak? Do you want the other kingdoms to believe you won't hold true to your threats if they do not uphold their part of a treaty?" There was a long silence.

"When should we begin getting our men ready?"

Young Hans had a very little idea of what they were talking about, but the conversation stuck with him his whole life. It was at that moment, as a child even, that he realized that Lars was a force to be reckoned with, and his powers of manipulation were strong. But even knowing these things about him, it was almost impossible to not fall into his trap. Ultimately, the man knew what he was doing.

So when Lars told him he needed to kill Queen Elsa, Hans knew that as deplorable and awful as it was, Lars had a reason behind it.

"You will be a hero in the eyes of the kingdom," Lars assured.

"Anna would never forgive me," Hans said, shaking his head, "they'd lock me up for sure. I-it would accomplish nothing!"

"Not if it was an _accident_ ," Lars said darkly, his eyes intense. Hans chewed on that a moment. "She is dangerous, Hans. She obviously has no control over herself, of her powers. Any other leader would march up that mountain, drag her down and hang her for witchcraft. She is killing her own people! Something must be done about this. And you are the hero that should do it."

"But…Anna…" he thought aloud.

"Of course you'll _have_ to marry her, she is your only way to the throne now. It shouldn't be a problem if she loves you the way you say she does. Then, you can still rule as king, isn't that what you want? Isn't that what you've always dreamed of?" Lars asked. "You said so yourself, you and Anna are in love, am I correct?" Hans' head lowered, his eyes averting to the floor. His head hurt, he was so confused.

"Yes, w-we are," he said with less conviction than before. He sighed an exasperated sigh and ran a bothered hand through his hair. He knew he cared for her, he knew their connection was real. But was Lars right? Could he have just been the first man she met outside the castle gates? "I don't know! I don't know _anything_ anymore."

"My confused boy, let me help you," Lars purred, his boney hand finding Hans' slumped shoulder. "You will be the leader Arendelle needs, you will feed the hungry and cloak the cold. If Anna has not arrived home by sunset tomorrow, we will send you and a few men after her. She will be returned safely to the castle, and you will go up the North Mountain and destroy the sorceress, and end this winter by any means necessary." Hans said nothing. Lars sighed. "Consider her death…an acceptable loss. Anna will mourn, but she will turn to you for strength and support. She will take her sister's place as queen with you by her side."

Hans was at war with himself.

The part of Hans that thirsted for power, for admiration and respect, knew that one could simply look at this as a tactical maneuver, some would even call it _ambition_. Many men had done much worse for power, and Elsa really was killing her own people; they would never survive much longer in these conditions. He arose, walking slowly to the window, watching the blistering snow, no end in sight. He stood at the glass, catching himself in the reflection. His eyes looked tired, morose.

_So much for a new, carefree life._

The good part of Hans, however, knew that he would never be able to look into Anna's eyes knowing that he'd killed her sister, no matter how justifiable and heroic the act itself may seem.

"This…" he felt his eyebrows furrow into a frown, his eyes involuntarily misting. "This is wrong." Lars came up behind him, placing both hands upon his shoulders this time.

"Thirteenth in line," he said darkly. "That's always been such burden on you. Knowing that your brothers _despise_ you, that they don't expect any greatness from you. It has taken its toll on you, hasn't it?" Lars' voice was strangely sympathetic. Hans felt his head nodding in agreement. It _had_ been hard. "But, just imagine how surprised they would be to know that your mission in Arendelle was a success, hmm? You'd have the respect, the power, the love that you've always wanted, wouldn't you?" Lars smirked, turning and walking to the door.

"Why does it have to be so hard?" Hans asked, more to himself than to Lars.

"Part of having power is having to make hard decisions," Lars sighed. Hans didn't respond. "I'll leave you with your thoughts, your majesty," and disappeared into the darkness of the hallway.

Hans didn't bother dressing for sleep, just slipped off his boots and collapsed on the bed. He was _exhausted_ , but he was quite certain he would be getting no sleep tonight; there was still too much too do, still too much bouncing around inside of his restless mind, especially now. He tossed, he turned. He found it hard to rest easy knowing so many were cold, knowing Anna was somewhere out there.

He began to play back the events of the evening in his mind, from meeting Anna on that dock to watching her ride off into the cold. Was it really only a mere 24 hours ago that things felt so promising? He wished deep down that he could just start the day over, try again with different results. This is why his family hated him. He always made a mess of things.

He blamed himself, probably more than he should. He hadn't the slightest idea that Elsa would freeze Arendelle, that he would be left to care for a kingdom in peril. Perhaps he really wasn't king material, perhaps he wasn't cut out for this.

And all he kept thinking was that now he had to make a decision about Elsa. Morning was coming, relentlessly, and the snow showed no sign of stopping.

* * *

When Hans awoke, only a couple of hours had passed. He was groggy, still tired, but day had finally broken; he knew that the kingdom could not wait for him to catch up on much-needed rest OR think about all that had happened. He dressed quickly, arming himself with his sword, hurrying down the confusing and maze-like corridors to meet with the guards in the courtyard.

"Your Majesty," Kai greeted. "I trust you slept well?" he attempted politely.

"Thank you," Hans responded, unsure of what else to say. ' _No, actually. I hardly slept at all and mulled over my plot to kill your queen and marry your princess._ ' He took in a deep breath, his lungs filling with cold air. It was slightly refreshing, and certainly helped wake him the rest of the way up. "Any news from the North Mountain?" Hans asked, happy to see that snow had ceased, even though the kingdom was blanketed in deep, thick snow.

"None yet, my liege. We have sent some men to scout the area for food and firewood," Kai reported. "What is our next move?" he asked, his eyes full of hope. Hans glanced around, the townspeople were huddled together by weak fires, trying to plow roadways for their horses and securing their homes. They looked tired, weary.

"We will-" he paused, thinking about what Lars had said the night before. "Continue to cloak and feed our people, do what we can to stay warm. We are working on a plan to return the Queen and the Princess safely and thaw this winter," he said assertively. He ran to the back of a wagon where he picked up a stack of blankets and cloaks. He began to move through the crowd.

"Cloak? Does anyone need a cloak?" he asked aloud, trying to help as much as he knew how. To be honest, he was mostly just winging it at this point. All he could do now was make himself useful and keep the townspeople safe, warm and alive. A woman approached, one he recognized from the ball. Her name was Gerda.

"Arendelle is indebted to you, your highness," she said, heartfelt.

"The castle is open. There's soup and hot glogg in the Great Hall," he announced. He approached a guard that looked unoccupied, handing him his stack of cloaks.

"Here, pass these out," he instructed. He turned to see the Duke approaching. He internally rolled his eyes, knowing full well he was not in the mood to deal with him right now.

"Prince Hans, are we just expected to sit here and freeze while you give away all of Arendelle's tradable goods?" he asked, accusingly. Hans stood tall, trying to at least appear confident and collected.

"Princess Anna has given her orders and-"

"And that's another thing; has it dawned on you that your princess may be conspiring with a wicked sorceress to destroy us all?" That was it. Hans had finally had enough of this. His eyes narrowed, his voice lowered.

"Do not question the Princess. She left me in charge, and I will not hesitate to protect Arendelle from treason." As he spoke the words, he didn't recognize his own voice, his own tone. It came from a place deep inside of him that he didn't even know existed, but the fear in the Duke's eyes when he threatened him gave Hans a small rush. Is that what power feels like? To be able to coerce people into doing what you want, just like that? All he knew was he liked the way it felt.

Suddenly and without warning, Hans and the guards could hear that alarmed whinnying of a horse. Hans turned to see Anna's horse, frightened. It was kicking and bucking, startled by something. But one thing that Hans couldn't help but notice was that the horse was alone.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa, boy. Easy. Easy," he coaxed, grabbing his reins to help calm him down. He could hear the upset murmuring of people in the crowd.

"Princess Anna's horse!" one said.

"What happened to her? Where is she?" said another.

Hans was distraught; he knew better than to let her go off on her own. He looked up at the mountains, knowing she was somewhere up there.

_Alone. Cold. Defenseless._

He then looked down to all the troubled faces of the townspeople, guards and coronation guests. All eyes upon him, looking _to_ him.

"Princess Anna is in trouble," he uttered aloud. "I need volunteers to go with me to find her!" he announced. The Duke instantly offered up his two henchmen, but Hans didn't care who it was as long as they hurried quickly, time was running out and they needed to find her. Not _just_ because he cared for her…but because any chance of him getting to the throne died right along with her.

* * *

The snow came up to Sitron's knees as he and Hans forged through the powdery snow. While the blizzard itself had ceased, the sky was white with clouds and it was clear that it could begin again at any given moment.

Hans kept moving forward, his posse close behind him. None of them spoke too often, other than shouting orders back and forth once in a while. Hans relished in the luxury of having time to sort through his thoughts up to this point. He'd been so tired before that he really hadn't had the opportunity to figure out just how he felt about everything. In all honesty, even Hans didn't know what he was thinking at this point. His confusion over the situation, over his feelings for Anna, just made it all that much worse.

He was on phase two of Lars' plan. Going after Anna. It had only been a few hours since she vanished, but he never should have let her go alone. Why didn't he just go with her? If he'd just gone then he wouldn't have had that little heart-to-heart with Lars, and maybe he wouldn't be so messed up inside now.

But Anna wouldn't _LET_ him go, either. Even had he protested, she refused. This was something she had to do alone, she'd insisted.

However, he also realized that he _would_ have insisted on going with her more strongly, but she said something that made him stay.

_"I need you here to take care of Arendelle."_

Just like _that_. A throne, no matter how temporary, just handed over to him. He was disgusted with himself. At this point, the woman he cared for was probably frozen or devoured by wolves and still all he could think about was that damn throne.

That part of himself was the part that scared him the most, the part he had tried to leave back in the Southern Isles. But there he was, making horrible decisions in the name of power and control. All he could think about in that moment was taking care of Arendelle, NOT because he cared for their well-being, but to win over the favor of the kingdom and be a hero.

_But I'm NOT a hero._

_NOT to the person that needed me most._

No, all this time to think just made Hans realize that he still wasn't, and might not ever be, a truly good person. Because while the tormented Hans rode up the mountain searching for the woman he loved, he wasn't sure anymore if it was because he actually loved her or if he loved what she could do for him.

But couldn't it be both? Couldn't he love her AND what she could do for him? And couldn't he try to control Elsa without killing her, but use Lars' plan as a last resort? The problem, however, was that now he had tasted what power truly felt like. He'd had a kingdom look to him, he'd known how great it feels to be king…and he wasn't sure he could ever go back to what it felt like before.

The group approached a tavern, one that had faint tracks in the snow nearby. He instructed his men to stop and hopped off the horse. At the very least they could ask for directions up the North Mountain and re-supply, even just take a break somewhere warm for a few moments, they'd been traveling so long.

The warmth of the store was a welcome feeling for Hans, and his hands instantly began to ache from hours of being numb in the snow.

"Yoo-hoo," a large, mustachioed man greeted him as he walked in, bee-lining for the sanctuary of the fireplace. "Can I help you?"

"We are looking for a Princ-" he stopped himself, realizing that the mountain man may have no idea who princess Anna is. "-ehm, a woman. She may have come by this way last night. She was wearing a green gown, strawberry blonde hair-"

"Jah, she vas here," he nodded. "Bought out our entire vinter section." Relief washed over Hans, happy to know she'd at least made it this far, that they were on the right track. He hurried to the clerk's desk, leaning in eagerly.

"Wonderful, do you know which way she went?" he asked, desperately.

"Jah, her and her friend vent up the North Mountain, I saw them leave early this morning, before the sun came up."

"Great, I'll-" Hans paused, his brows lowering. He realized what the shop owner had just said. "Her and her…friend?" he asked. "Was it a blonde woman?" Perhaps she'd found Elsa?

"No, the man vith the veindeer and the sled,"

"Wait… _Man_ …?" Hans repeated quietly.

"Jah, they stayed the night in my stable, then left in the vee hours," he smirked. "They thought I didn't see him but Oaken sees everything that goes on up here."

"They stayed the night…together? In a stable?" Hans asked, his confused tone becoming more disgusted than anything else. Oaken nodded, Hans took a step back. Although he was confused and profoundly hurt at this realization, he tried his best to brush it off quickly.

"We are also trying to get up the North Mountain, what is the quickest route?" Hans asked, all-business. The man shook his head.

"The storm is too bad, you'll have to try again another day." Hans' patience wore out, he'd had enough conversing with this guy. He turned to his men who were still warming up by the fire and picking up various supplies.

"Come on, men. Let's go," Hans ordered before angrily storming out the front door and into the snow outside. He took a moment to collect his thoughts on the porch of the tavern, taking his face in his hands and rubbing his eyes. He was now beyond exhausted, it showed on his face. He was angry, but he wasn't sure exactly why.

Then he realized just what it was that was burning him up inside.

On one hand, Hans realized he should be relieved that Anna wasn't alone on her hunt for Elsa, that at least someone was with her in case she got hurt or in trouble. But the fact still remained that Anna wouldn't let Hans go with her, wouldn't let him protect her. There were plenty of officials that could have taken care of the kingdom in their absence, but she wanted to do it alone.

And yet it was now increasingly clear that Lars' theory about Anna, about her running off with any other man she found outside of the castle walls, may be right. Which, in turn, triggered the awful, aching thought:

_What else was Lars right about?_

All this time, confused or not, Hans knew that Anna and he cared about one another, had a real connection, and regardless of his own, personal and political agendas, he planned on marrying her. This whole time since she took off he was beating himself up, imagining the worst happening to her, and knowing he should have gone with her. He should have been the one beside her, protecting her.

_The first day out of the castle she gets engaged to you, then stays the night with a strange man in a stable._

The voice returned, slewing as much self-doubt and anxiety as it could. He realized, no matter how much he wanted it to be true, it was naïve to believe that Anna loved him. She didn't love him, she didn't even know what love was.

Which meant that his mission in Arendelle could no longer be personal.

It was just business, now.

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coming Up Next...  
> Chapter 5: Cold as Ice  
> Hans battles the Snow Monster and retrieves Queen Elsa.  
> Anna returns for the infamous kiss...


End file.
